DPDgroup has increased its presence in the food e-commerce sector with the acquisition of fresh produce online marketplace Pourdebon.com.
Pourdebon.com enables consumers to order fresh produce directly from producers and artisans across France. The platform is designed to eliminate intermediaries, recreating a direct link between the producer and the consumer. Pourdebon.com manages the order from start to finish, offering express, fresh and home delivery. For producers, Pourdebon.com is an e-commerce solution without any subscription, which enables them to promote their approach, develop their turnover by selling at the right price and ensure the dispatch of their fresh and perishable products anywhere in France in under 24 hours. Nicolas Machard, co-founder of the startup, will remain the CEO of Pourdebon.com.
Pourdebon.com has also joined forces with Chronofresh to deliver the products ordered through its platform, to guarantee optimal quality and freshness throughout France. Chronofresh, a subsidiary of Chronopost, provides express delivery of dry, fresh, and frozen food products, under controlled temperatures and in compliance with the cold chain, to professionals and individuals in France and abroad.
According to DPD, online purchases of foodstuffs have grown steadily in recent years and increased sharply with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. The company’s data indicates that this is the category of goods where the frequency of online purchases has increased the most in 2021 (+11% in Europe and +8% in France compared with 2019). DPD has also witnessed new trends emerging, such as the demand for organic products, greater transparency, consumer expectation for responsible trade and a growing desire to consume products that are accessible through short circuits.
CEO of GeoPost/DPDgroup said Yves Delmas said: “The takeover of Pourdebon.com by GeoPost/DPDgroup is a further step in our strategy to develop the food e-commerce market. One year after the acquisition of epicery.com, we are continuing our development in this fast-growing segment with great potential. Pourdebon.com, which puts consumers in direct contact with French producers and craftsmen, will be able to strengthen synergies with our subsidiary, Chronofresh. The two companies will thus continue their fruitful collaboration.”
CEO of Pourdebon.com Nicolas Machard explained: “This merger will allow Pourdebon.com to increase its reputation and support more producers by offering their high-quality fresh products to more consumers. It will also allow us to develop many new features, starting with a B2B platform dedicated to the restaurant and grocery industry.”
Source: DPD/Parcel and Post Technology
